Time May Change Me
by quirkoholic
Summary: Written for Kristanna Week 2017 on Tumblr Modern AU, 3 Parts Part 1 and 2 Rated T for traumatic themes Part 3 rated M for smut Trigger warning: Fire The title is a line from "Changes," by David Bowie.
1. Sparks

Anna lay in her old bed, surrounded by stuffed animals and pillows. She'd recently returned to her childhood home with her sister, Elsa. Their parents' will specifically left the house to both of them, but they'd never been to visit it together. Elsa had checked up on the house from time to time, but work always called her back to the city. Anna was busy finishing her degree and planning a wedding in her free time, and so had never bothered to return. It brought back memories she didn't want to remember, and so she let herself be distracted with flower arrangements and china patterns. After Elsa had a series of work-induced panic attacks and Anna found her fiance cheating on her, they'd both decided it was time to head back to Arendelle for a fresh start, together.

They'd arrived earlier that day to find the place untouched by time, save for a thick layer of dust covering the furniture. After attacking the place with several dusters and a vacuum, it looked as if they'd never left. It was a bittersweet feeling, being home again without their parents.

"Hey, Anna? I'm going to get some groceries for dinner tonight. Do you need anything?" Elsa yelled across the large empty house. She could hear Anna running from the hallway and she slid across the living room floor in her socks to meet her in the kitchen.

"What'd you say?" She asked, out of breath.

"I'm going to the store. Do you need anything?"

"Oh, um. I think I lost my deodorant." She replied and looked down at the tile in the kitchen, tracing some of the grout with her foot.

"I'd ask you to come, but you always hate grocery shopping." Elsa hesitated. "But you can come if you like, of course."

"No, no. I DO hate it. It's pretty boring." Anna chuckled and swung her arms back and forth.

"Are you sure you'll be OK here?" Elsa searched her face, but Anna's eyes darted around, looking anywhere but her.

"Yeah! It's a big place. I'll find something to do." She tried to make her smile look genuine, though she wasn't sure her sister would buy it.

Elsa could tell something was wrong, but it was getting late and they had absolutely no food. It'd been enough of a hassle to get the water and the power turned on before they moved in, they didn't need to skip dinner on top of that.

"We'll talk when we get home, OK?"

"OK, sure!" Anna perked up the best she could, still trying to convince her sister, and herself, that she was perfectly fine.

Elsa grabbed her keys and left, leaving Anna alone. She wandered back to her bedroom and sunk into her bed to stare off into space.

* * *

Kristoff jumped awake to the sound of the alarm. Most of his team was already up and pulling their suits on.

"What's the call, Jake?" he asked a man nearby, swinging his legs over his mattress and into the boots on the floor.

"Housefire. On Lakewood. I think it's that big one on the corner." Jake grabbed his coat and slung it over his suspenders.

"I thought that was abandoned?" Kristoff pulled the large fireproof pants up and fastened them in place with a belt and suspenders that were already attached.

"Maybe so. Might just be some stupid kids getting into trouble. C'mon, dispatch said it's a big one." Jake grabbed his helmet and ran off toward the station's vehicle bay.

Kristoff continued to put on his gear and followed.

When they arrived, the flames were at the roof, and there was a blonde woman frantically pacing back and forth on the phone.

"Oh, Thank GOD," she yelled and approached the truck. "I can't find my sister! She isn't answering her phone!" She yelled up to the truck.

"Alright ma'am, just try to stay calm." The team of five climbed out of the truck and began hooking the fire house up to the nearest hydrant.

"Do you think she's still in there?" She asked no one and everyone at the same time. "Surely, she would have gotten out?"

"What does she look like?" Kristoff asked the blonde woman.

"What? Why?" The woman asked frantically.

"So I know who I'm looking for!" Kristoff yelled over the blaze and the sound of the other firefighters shouting instructions. He grabbed an oxygen tank and slung it on his back, attaching a large mask under his helmet and onto his face.

"She's, um. She…I guess she kind of looks like me, about my size, but with red hair."

"Got it," Kristoff ran toward the house. "I'm going in!" he shouted to his team, who had already wrangled the hose and was spraying at the front of the house.

The stairs to the front porch were still mostly in tact, but black smoke billowed out when he opened the door. Flames enveloped most of the furniture in the room, but he noticed no signs of a person anywhere. He ducked under a fallen post into what used to be a hallway and found a series of rooms with closed doors. The fire had reached the first room already and most of the insulation and drywall had burned away.

"Hello?!" He shouted, trying to listen for any movement, though it was difficult with flames roaring on either side. He heard nothing, but the flames were beginning to follow him down the hallway, so he quickened his pace and flung open the next door.

There, in a child sized bed filled with stuffed animals, lay the redhead he assumed was missing. He hoped she was just asleep, but smoke had already filled the room, so it was possible she'd already passed out. He shook her shoulders to gauge a response. Her head flopped toward him and her eyes squinted up and she began coughing.

"There we go, OK." He began to pick the girl up off the bed and stand her up. "Can you walk?" he asked.

"Where are we?" She mumbled. "Why's it so stuffy."

"We need to get out of here quickly, so I'm going to pick you up and carry you, OK?" Kristoff picked the girl up and held her to his chest.

"It's hot." she mumbled into his suit.

"I know, just hold on for a little longer OK? We'll get you out of here." Kristoff walked out of the room and headed back for the front door, but the flames blocked the way he came.

"Ok, let's look for a back door." He said, mostly to himself.

"Kitchen." She mumbled again.

Kristoff looked further down the hallway to find an open archway leading to a dining room attached to the kitchen. Flames were already lapping at the other side of the room, he assumed it was attached to main room he'd come in. He found a door at the side of the room and was glad to see it not on fire. He ran out of the door and rushed toward the front of the house where the truck was parked.

"ANNA!" The blonde woman from before ran to meet him.

"Stay back just a bit, the suit is still hot and she needs oxygen!" The blonde woman complied, but followed him to the truck as he sat her down in the grass. He tore off his own mask attached to his helmet and ran to the back of the truck where they kept the oxygen masks. He quickly plugged a new mask into a fresh tank and cradled the girl in his other arm as he placed the mask on her face.

"You said her name is Anna?" Kristoff asked the blonde woman sitting in the grass on the other side of the girl.

"Yes. Yes." She replied, not taking her eyes off of Anna.

"OK, Anna? I need you to breathe for me. Nice and deep, OK? And try to keep your eyes open." Kristoff directed his attention back to the redhead. She grunted and moved her head, eyes still closed. He looked back up at the blonde and nodded at her, to try to get her to join him.

"Anna, sweetie," she caught on quickly. "It's me. It's Elsa. Can you look at me?"

Anna mumbled something and squinted her eyes toward Elsa's voice.

"Oh Anna. Thank god." Elsa exhaled the breath she was holding. "We need you to breathe, OK? Get some oxygen in those lungs."

Anna tried to respond, but it was muffled by the mask. She turned to look at Kristoff holding her with the mask to her face. She opened her eyes wide to admire the strange man and breathed deeply. He smiled and nodded as if to encourage her to keep going, so she did. With each breath her head began to focus, began to put pieces together and figure out what was happening. Why did she need oxygen? Why was this stranger, granted he was a handsome stranger, but still, there was a STRANGER holding her close in the grass. She began to move her eyes around and take in her surroundings. There was an orange glow above her and she strained her head to see what it was.

She slowly lifted herself up and the stranger loosened his grasp to let her move, but still kept his arms close. She twisted around to look at the scene and gasped. She pushed the mask away and scrambled to get off the ground. Elsa grabbed her and held her in place.

"ELSA WHAT HAPPENED?" she screamed. "THAT'S OUR HOUSE!" Anna desperately tried to wriggle away from her, but Elsa kept her hold.

"Anna, just calm down OK?"

"HOW can I be calm when everything is ON FIRE?" she shouted again. "How did this happen?" She whirled around to Kristoff, who looked at her in disbelief.

"Anna, we don't know what happened! I came home and there was smoke everywhere and I couldn't find you!" Elsa's voice cracked and her lip began to tremble. She threw her arms around Anna and let out a sob. "I'm just really glad you're OK."

Anna turned toward Kristoff again, who shrugged.

"I found you in a bedroom so I guess you were asleep." He said, then chuckled a bit. "I'll be honest, I'm not sure how you stayed asleep with all that going on."

Anna began breathing heavy and wrenched out of Elsa's grasp. She hopped up and ran toward the house before Kristoff registered what happened.

"Hey!" He yelled and ran after her, catching her by the waist and pulling her back. "Are you crazy, what are you doing?"

"I'm going BACK!" She shouted and pulled against him, forcing him to tighten his hold on her.

"Oh no you aren't!" Kristoff pulled her back against him to hold her in place.

"LET. ME. GO!" She kicked off the ground to knock him off balance. He stumbled back, but held on.

"You're going to get yourself killed!" He tried to reason with her, but she continued kicking the ground to throw him off, so he lifted her off the ground and held her there. Her legs thrashed and her arms tried to find every place to hit him, to scratch at his arms that kept her from returning home. She screamed and bucked her entire body against him.

"ANNA!" Elsa ran up and tried to grab one of her arms. "STOP!"

"THIS IS OUR HOME!" She screamed and kicked some more, Kristoff bewildered and trying to hang on to her. How did she have this much energy? He finally lost his footing and tumbled into the grass, but he kept his grip tight. She continued to wriggle and fight, but he curled his body around her in an attempt to block her movements.

"Anna PLEASE! Mom and Dad wouldn't want you DEAD!" Elsa yelled and fell onto the ground beside them.

Anna slowed her movements enough for Elsa to hold her face and brush the hair out of her eyes.

"Please?" Elsa begged. "I can't lose you too." Tears leaked out of eyes, dripping down her face. Anna stopped struggling and lay still on the ground. Kristoff pulled her up so they were both sitting upright, but he kept his arms and legs wrapped around her.

"But…this is all we have left." Anna squeaked out, her face scrunching up as her own tears came.

"I know, Anna. I know. But what's important is that we have each other." She reached and wiped away some of Anna's tears, but they both continued crying.

Anna turned her red face toward Kristoff, who loosened his arms to let her move.

"Hi, um…" she trailed off looking down at his suit.

"Kristoff."

"Kristoff. Th-thank you for saving me." She sniffed. "And. I'm…sorry if I kicked you."

"It's OK." He smiled. "You gave me a workout there."

"I just…" She trailed off again and sobbed. "There's just…so much." She brought her hands up to her face and sobbed louder. "It's a lot." She gave up her attempt at forming sentences and tried to wipe her face, but everything was still wet.

"I know." Kristoff said softly. "I'm sorry." He always hated this part, trying to console victims who just lost everything. He had no words of wisdom and he knew nothing he said would make it any better. Something about this case, though, made his heart break a little harder. He wanted nothing more than to take their pain away, especially the redhead in front of him.

Anna slowly lifted her face and looked at the firefighter, really looked at him for the first time. His brown eyes were warm and full of compassion. She just wanted to be held. She wrapped her arms around his neck and climbed into his lap. She felt him stiffen before crossing his legs underneath her and pulling her close to him. She cried into him and he tried to comfort her by rubbing her back and whispering in her ear.

"It's OK. It'll be OK. I've got you."

Elsa sat next to her sister huddled in the firefighter's lap and wrapped her arms around her as well, joining his affirmations. They all rocked slowly back and forth while the other firefighters fought into the night to gain control of the fire.


	2. I Missed You

"What are we gonna do?" Elsa sighed and looked up at the crumbling building before them. The outside was black and charred, and parts of the structure had burned up and fallen down. There was no way it was still inhabitable.

The police and an ambulance had shown up shortly after Anna's outburst. Elsa excused herself to talk to an officer about some paperwork, leaving Anna still curled up in Kristoff's lap. She clung to him and burrowed her face into his neck and wept softly. He couldn't stand the thought of letting her go in this state, so he carried her over to the ambulance to get checked out. It had taken some convincing, but Anna eventually cooperated and let the EMT check her vital signs. He had slipped away from her while she was distracted to help the rest of his team.

The fire was out at that point, and the firefighters were reeling in their equipment and re-packing the truck.

"Hey, Bjorgman." Jake called out and walked over to where Kristoff was loading up the used oxygen tanks. "Did you talk to them about where they're staying tonight?"

"No, not yet. Why?"

"Just wondering. The little one seems pretty fond of you." Jake gave Kristoff a pointed look while he tried to ignore his face getting hot.

"She's just upset." Kristoff busied himself rearranging several unused loops of rope.

"Sure." Jake nodded and looked away. "Well, I just thought you might want to offer up the safehouse at the station as an option." Jake looked over at Kristoff again with a smirk and clapped him on the back. "In case she gets upset again."

Kristoff sighed as Jake waltzed away, seemingly proud of himself. He looked over to find the sisters sitting on the curb together. Anna had an emergency blanket wrapped tightly around her. He had to admit there was something he liked about her. They'd met under traumatizing circumstances about 3 hours prior, and she had almost given him a concussion from thrashing about, but he admired her determination. And her pretty eyes. And her freckles.

Snap out of it, Bjorgman. He shook his head and wiped his palm down his face before taking a deep breath and walking over to the sisters.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt." He waved as he approached and the girls looked up at him. "I um, just wanted to check up on you two."

"Thanks. We're OK. As OK as we can be, I suppose." Elsa responded with a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Kristoff nodded and looked at Anna, who looked dazed but locked eyes with him until he looked away and cleared his throat.

"Um, have any of the officers talked to you about where to stay tonight?"

"No, we were wondering about that though." Elsa bit the side of her cheek.

"Well, it isn't much, but the station is also a safehouse. We have a room set up with some extra beds for emergencies. You're welcome to stay as long as you need."

"Oh, well thank you. We don't have a lot of other options, so we'll probably take you up on that." Elsa sounded relieved and her smile looked more genuine.

"OK, cool. I'll tell the guys and you can follow us back in your car, if you like." Kristoff turned to head back to the truck.

"Can I ride in the firetruck?" Anna piped up.

"Oh, Uh. I don't –" He turned his head back around to see Anna looking more vibrant than before. Her eyes sparkled in the light of the lamppost as they locked with his again. "Sure. Yes. Of course you can." He said before he realized what had come out of his mouth. She smiled and turned to her sister.

"Can I?" Anna asked, bouncing her knees up and down. Elsa looked between her sister and Kristoff. He shrugged.

"OK." Elsa said hesitantly. "But be careful, please." She said this to Anna as well as Kristoff. He nodded his head in response.

"I love you, Elsa." She hugged her sister before bounding up off the curb and joining Kristoff with a smile.

"I love you too. I mean it! Be careful! I'm following in the car!" Elsa shouted as Anna walked away.

Much to the chagrin of the other firefighters, he convinced them to let him and Anna ride upfront in the cab of the firetruck. He spent the entire ride talking her out of pushing buttons she didn't need to be pressing and eventually had to pin her arms down to stop her from touching things. She didn't seem to mind though, as she snuggled up to him and lay her head on his shoulder. She fell asleep quickly after that. When they arrived, he carefully picked her up and cradled her to his chest once again. Elsa met him with the same smirk he'd received from the members of his team and followed him into the station to their temporary shelter.

* * *

The next morning, Kristoff walked into the guest bunk-room carrying two paper cups of coffee. He spotted Elsa sitting at a long table, paperwork spread all around her. He cleared his throat.

"Oh, good morning!" She looked up and regarded him with a smile.

"Hi, I uh. I thought you guys might need some coffee." He set the cups down on the corner of the table and proceeded to empty the contents of his pockets next to them, sugar packets and travel sized cream containers. "I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee, so…" he trailed off.

"That was very thoughtful of you. Christopher, was it?"

"Just Kristoff."

"Well thank you, just Kristoff. I'm surprised you're still here."

"Oh, I just got off. We usually work 12 hours, and then two days off. Where is ah…" He looked around the room until his eyes stopped on a lump of blankets with a mass of red hair poking out of the top.

"Anna's still asleep, I'm afraid." Elsa followed his gaze and smiled softly.

"Ah." Kristoff looked down at the ground and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Listen, I want to thank you for everything you've done for us." Elsa started.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just doing my job." Kristoff recited quickly.

"Well, I also mean what you've done for Anna."

"Oh, um." Kristoff met Elsa's eyes briefly before chancing a glance at the bunk Anna was sleeping in.

"You've been very kind to her. She's been through a lot lately. She deserves some kindness. So thank you."

"Yeah. It was nothing, really." He coughed and brought his hand up to rub the back of his neck, willing the redness to stop spreading across his face.

"You like her, don't you?" Elsa asked and Kristoff's head shot up with eyes wide. Elsa laughed. "I only ask because I think she likes you too."

"Oh…you think so?" Kristoff hesitated before glancing at her bunk once again.

"A sister knows." Elsa smiled. "I can tell her you stopped by. If she ever wakes up, that is. She's a pretty heavy sleeper…but I guess you know that by now." Elsa chuckled. Kristoff coughed in response and fumbled to pull a card out of his back pocket.

"Right. Well, here's my card. If you two need anything at all, please let me know." He placed it on the table next to the coffees and hurried out the door.

* * *

A few days later the sisters stood outside of their parents house. It looked even worse in the daylight. Anna grabbed Elsa's hand as they approached the scene. A different team of firefighters were wading through the rubble to assess the damage and make sure it was safe enough for people to walk around in. One of the firefighters approached them.

"It looks like a total loss, unfortunately." He looked between the two girls.

"Yes, I thought so. I've already made a claim with our insurance." Elsa responded while Anna looked away and willed her tears not to come.

"That's a good start, ma'am." He cleared his throat. "If you'd like to follow me inside, we can see if there's anything worth saving. I'm afraid there won't be much, though."

They followed him inside, stepping where he told them to and avoiding the holes and burnt obstacles along the way. The inside of the house was unrecognizable. The furniture was mostly gone; the cushions had all burned up into a pile leaving only the charred frames. Most of the books were burned as well, leaving only partial pieces in tact. Elsa gasped at the sight, but kept herself as pulled together as she could, if only for her sister.

Anna was already in tears, with her hands over her mouth in disbelief. All that her parents left them was gone. Anna made her way through the rubble to her old room. The walls were blackened with smoke, including all of the posters that once hung there. Her bed looked a lot like the rest of the furniture, with the frame standing, but not much else. She walked toward the dresser and picked up a framed photo that looked relatively unscathed. The metal edges were black and the glass was cloudy, but the picture was still clear. It was from the last big family vacation they'd taken before Anna left for school. They stood huddled together in front of an exhibit at Animal Kingdom with several baby elephants playing in the background. She rubbed the glass against her shirt and held it to her chest, while memories flooded her head. She slowly walked back to the front of the house.

Elsa stood with a frown and her arms folded while the firefighter talked to her about the cleanup process and requesting help from some local organizations. She excused herself when she saw Anna approach. Anna held out the photo without a word and handed it to her sister. Elsa examined as several tears escaped her eyes, but she wiped them away hurriedly and threw her arms around Anna.

"I miss them, Elsa." Anna cried into her sister's shoulder.

"I know, Anna. I miss them too." Elsa squeezed a little tighter as Anna began to shake and gasp between sobs.

* * *

Kristoff turned down Lakewood and headed toward the large house he'd been to a few days prior. He wasn't on duty, but he'd wanted to see how bad the damage was. And if he so happened to bump into a certain redhead, well that was OK too. His hands gripped the steering wheel as he approached the house and began to second guess his actions. Was this too creepy? Would she even want to see him? She was bound to be in an emotional state after returning, especially after putting up such a fight the night it happened. Then again, her sister had said she liked him. She'd seemed to give her blessing for him to talk to her. But maybe she was wrong and it was just the stress of the situation. Maybe she just wanted comfort in the moment and was glad to forget about him when he left. He had left his card in hopes that she would call him, but maybe that was expecting too much.

He stopped in front of the house and parked, but sat in his truck. He watched a few of his colleagues walk in and out of the house carefully with clipboards in hand. He knew they were trying to find the cause of the fire, and he didn't envy them. Searching for clues in a house-sized pile of ash and rubble was about as hard as it sounded. It was a task they all had to participate in, but one of his least favorite.

He went back and forth in his head about what he was really doing there and whether he should just leave before anyone noticed him. He rested his forehead on his steering wheel and smacked his head against it a few times for good measure. He hadn't noticed the two sisters emerge from the house, or the smirk that Elsa had plastered on her face when she recognized his blonde mop, or her coaxing Anna to approach him. He heard a tap on the window and he almost jumped out of his seat. The look of terror on his face softened when he saw Anna give him a small wave and point to the passenger door. He unlocked it, unsure of whether she wanted to come in or wanted him to come out, but she opened the door and climbed into his truck.

"Hi." she said softly.

"Hey." He shifted in his seat to face her.

"I got your coffee. After I woke up, I mean. Elsa told me you came by." Anna looked down at her lap and absentmindedly picked at a hole forming in her jeans.

"Oh yeah, it was nothing." He stared at her and couldn't think of anything else to say. You are terrible at this.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here today. Elsa told me you were probably off." Anna sniffed and wiped her nose on the sleeve of her baby blue hoodie. Her face was red and puffy. She'd obviously been crying.

"Oh, I am." He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. "I just…wanted to check on…some things." Kristoff inwardly cursed at himself.

"Oh. What sort of…things are you checking on?" Anna folded her hands in her lap and looked at him.

"Um." He exhaled loudly. "I. Honestly? I was looking for you. And your sister." he added hastily. "I stopped by the station, but I obviously missed you…and your sister." He coughed. Smooth.

"You missed me?" Anna squeaked out. Her eyes grew into large blue saucers that almost rendered Kristoff speechless.

"Well, I. Uh. I meant I went looking for you and you weren't there. So I came here." He met her eyes and swore he saw some of the light leave.

"Oh. Yeah. That's obviously what you meant." She let out a small sad laugh and looked out the window toward her house.

"But, I mean…I guess it's possible that I also…missed missed you." What the hell does that even mean, Bjorgman?

"Oh," she turned back to look at him and offered a small smile. "That's good." She laughed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "So…" she started.

"So." He breathed out.

"You found me. Now what?"

"Ah. Well. I, um. I hadn't really thought that far."

"OK." She giggled and it was music to his ears. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled and he wanted to lose himself in them.

"I suppose. I just wanted to see you again." Wait, what?

"Oh." She was quiet, but not unpleasantly so.

"I was wondering." He stopped, pushing away his inner critic. "I was wondering if I couldseeyouagain?" He rushed the last part, to guarantee the words made it out. "Maybe we could go get coffee or something. I mean, like real coffee, not fire station coffee."

"Oh!" She sounded surprised. "That's very sweet of you." She bit her lip and looked down at her hands.

"Or, or we don't have to do that. We don't have to do anything. I just. I'm sorry, I think I misread something."

"NO, no, it's not that." She reached out and grabbed his hand that had been resting on his knee. They both looked at it before she continued. "I would love to. I just. Maybe not today?" She sighed. "I have no idea where my life is going at this point and I just lost…I lost the one thing that still made sense…and now that's fallen apart like the rest of my life." She gasped and tried to hide her face as she started crying again.

He scooted to the middle of the truck's bench seat and reached for her without thinking. She let his arms envelope her and pull her to rest against his chest. She nuzzled into him like it was second nature and he stroked her hair.

"M'sorry." She muffled into his shirt.

"Don't be. I'm not very good at asking girls out." He laughed and she looked up at him. She looked confused.

"No, not for that. For crying all over you." She lay her head back down on his shoulder. "I want to get coffee with you. Just…later. When I'm not as sad." She sniffled and adjusted herself closer to him.

"I can definitely work with that," he smiled easily and rocked slowly back and forth. "And for the record, I don't mind you crying on me."

"Good. 'cuz you're really comfy." She snuggled her head into his neck with a contented sigh.

"Are you going to fall asleep on me again?"

"Mmm. I dunno what you're talking 'bout." She slurred her words and drifted off.


	3. Waves

A few weeks passed before Anna and Kristoff met up for coffee. It started as a coffee date, but ended up being coffee and getting annoyed looks from other cafe patrons as they spent hours in the comfortable chairs in the corner. Eventually they decided to get food at a little diner close by, followed by a movie at Kristoff's apartment. Anna fell asleep on him again, but fortunately Anna and Elsa had recently found an apartment in the same building, so Kristoff carried her home.

Kristoff became a staple in their lives fairly quickly, coming over on his days off, offering to help with the cleanup of the house or setting up the apartment. With the help of the insurance claim and Elsa's sizable savings they were able to pay for the apartment for the year and get some new furniture. It was the kind of furniture that had to be put together, which Anna absolutely hated but tried to do anyway. Kristoff ended up putting most of it together while Anna handed him tools and Elsa made everyone dinner. They'd had to start completely over. The only thing they still had was a bag of clothing and a box of documents that they luckily hadn't unloaded from the car. They got a new frame for their lone family picture and placed it in the living room. The apartment was small but full of love and began to feel like a home in no time at all.

One evening after dinner, Kristoff and Anna snuggled on her couch. Elsa had already gone to bed, but Anna fought the urge to follow her. Kristoff sat with his arm around her, stroking her hair.

"I think I might turn in soon, feistypants," he said with a yawn.

"Aww," Anna moaned and snaked her arms around his torso. "Why?"

"Because I'm sleepy!" He let out a laugh.

"You could stay here, though! And we could stay up and talk all night! It'll be like a sleepover!" She bounced up and down on the cushions next to him.

"That doesn't sound like it involves a lot of sleep."

"Aww, c'mon. You have tomorrow off!" She pouted.

"Yeah, but I have a few errands to run." Kristoff smoothed his hands over Anna's cheek and she folded her arms in protest. "Tell you what, I have a 4 day weekend coming up and I was planning on visiting the beach. I have a place out there."

"You have a beach house?" She asked. There was so much she still didn't know about him and she was eager to learn all she could.

"Well, it's more like a cabin in the woods...that just so happens to be about half a mile from a beach. My grandpa left it to me. I like to go out there to unwind."

"That sounds lovely, Kristoff."

"Then that's settled. I'll text you about it later." He smiled at her as he got up. She followed him to say goodbye. He turned around as he got to the door and stroked her cheek once more. His brown eyes had flecks of gold and the more Anna looked into them the more she melted. She noticed the goofy smile on Kristoff's face that she was sure matched her own.

"Before you go...can I ask you something."

"Of course."

"Are we...together?" Anna asked.

"You mean like dating?"

"Well, I know we've been on dates and we spend a lot of time together...I just wasn't sure if we were _official_ or anything..." She trailed off and looked around avoiding his gaze.

"Anna?" Kristoff tilted her chin up to face him.

"Hmm?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He smiled as she exhaled and relaxed her shoulders.

"Yes, please." She hugged him tightly around the neck as he bent down to accommodate her height and laughed into her ear. It was a beautiful warm sound. He pulled back and cradled her face in his hands.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked. Anna nodded and grinned enthusiastically, unsure if she'd be able to speak coherently.

He leaned down and pressed his lips gingerly into hers. He was soft and warm and it filled Anna with a want she hadn't had in a long time. His head tilted and he continued to move his mouth on hers and she let out a soft whimper. She felt him smiling against her lips and he slowly withdrew from her. Anna kept her eyes closed for a moment, not wanting it to end.

"Oh. Wow." She opened her eyes to see him smiling down at her. He rested his forehead on hers and held her close.

"I gotta go. But I'll talk to you tomorrow, OK?"

"You better." She groaned and he laughed again.

"I promise. Sleep well." He kissed her forehead before untangling himself from her and reaching for the door.

"You too," she called after him. He turned and smiled one last time before shutting the door behind him.

She turned around and leaned against the door dramatically and sighed, only to see two blue orbs and white blonde hair poking out from the hallway.

"Elsa?"

She stepped further out and folded her arms, grinning at her sister.

"Well It's about time." Elsa laughed.

"How long-"

"Long enough, Sis. Long enough." Anna gaped at her. Elsa laughed again and walked back down the hallway. "Goodnight!"

* * *

Anna was a ball of excitement for the next week. She convinced Elsa to go shopping with her to buy some new clothes for the trip, including a new bathing suit. She even dragged Elsa into a lingerie store before she got flustered and told Anna she was going to sit outside.

She had started packing a bag as soon as Kristoff left that night, adding to it as she bought new things or washed old favorites. Elsa tried to remind her that they'd only be there for three nights, but Anna just kept adding things to her bag until it was full. She just wanted to have options, she'd told Elsa. She'd never been to a cabin in the woods by a beach, so she wanted to be prepared for whatever might happen.

The morning of the trip Kristoff knocked on their apartment door and was greeted by Anna with her bag already on her shoulder, practically running out the door in front of him. A tired looking Elsa handed him a travel mug of coffee and wished them a safe trip. He hugged Elsa and thanked her before following his girlfriend bounding down the hallway.

Kristoff's cabin was about two hours outside of the city. Anna chatted the entire way there, never losing an ounce of energy. She asked Kristoff questions about his childhood and why he wanted to be a firefighter and when were they going to be there and did he think they would see any dolphins at the beach. Anna figured they were close when Kristoff turned down a makeshift road of grass and dirt surrounded by trees on either side. They drove into a small clearing and parked next to the cutest cottage Anna had ever seen. There was a long porch with a swinging bench leading to the front door. The wooden house was stained a rich brown with white trim around the windows and the door.

Kristoff grabbed Anna's bag as well as his own and lead her into the cabin. Anna walked into a small but open space surrounded by windows. The kitchen was at the back of the room divided off with an island and several stools. Located in the right corner was a stone fireplace with a lush couch situated in front of it. Off the the left were three doors, which she assumed were bedrooms and a bathroom. Kristoff set his and Anna's bags down by the door.

"Kristoff, this is gorgeous." Anna stood in awe and took everything in. She walked over to the couch and stroked the fluffy blanket thrown over the back.

"Thanks. It took a while to fix everything up after Pabbie passed."

"You did all this yourself?"

"Most of it, yeah." He shrugged his shoulders and offered a small smile.

"Wow." She walked over to the fireplace and continued admiring his handiwork.

"So." He cleared his throat. "I figured we could wash up and head down to the beach?"

"That sounds good. I'll go change." Anna grabbed her bag and hesitated. "Um, which room are we using?

"I usually sleep in the back room...but there's also a guest room if you want to take that." There was a hesitation between them.

"I think I'd rather share...if that's OK?"

"Sure. I just didn't want to assume anything." Kristoff smiled easily and walked her to the back bedroom and pointed out the bathroom.

Kristoff's room was plain but cozy. The bed was covered in a flannel blanket and thick fluffy pillows. A large framed silhouette of a reindeer hung on the wall above it. Anna set her bag down on the bed and changed into her new bathing suit. She'd opted for a green bikini with white dots. She'd felt confident about it in the store but began to worry as she put it on. It was a bolder choice that she wouldn't have made when she was with her ex. He had a way of making her feel vulnerable and inferior, but she was determined to push forward and do things for herself. She'd thought the pattern was cute and was excited to try something new, so she shook her thoughts away and pulled on a pair of white shorts over her bottoms. She slid on some flip flops, threw a tank top over her arm, and grabbed her sunscreen.

Anna walked out into the main area and stopped dead in her tracks. Kristoff was shirtless and wearing long swim trunks, rubbing sunscreen over his massive chest. He was more tan than she was and was covered in short wispy blonde hair that grew thicker down his stomach. His muscles weren't as chiseled or defined as someone who went to the gym every day, but they were definitely present and he was definitely fit. His arms were more defined, stretching and flexing as he continued rubbing the lotion in. Her brain tracked his movements in slow motion and she felt her stomach flutter. She made a wheezing sound she'd never made before and Kristoff looked up. He stopped what he was doing and his eyes grew wide. Anna saw his eyes travel down her body and he mouthed a 'woah' in appreciation. Anna blushed and bit her lip in response and he returned her blush with his own.

"I was hoping you could help me with this?" Anna held up her own bottle of sunscreen. "I can't reach my back."

"As long as you help me with mine." He grinned as she walked into the main area and handed him the sunscreen.

He slowly worked his hands over her pale skin, starting with her back and moving to her shoulders. He traveled down and rubbed the cold lotion into her lower back and moved to rest his hands on her hips. She leaned into him and he took the liberty of spreading more sunscreen over her stomach. She could have easily done that herself, but his hands felt so good on her skin. Her face felt hot and her breath hitched as he brought his mouth to her ear and whispered.

"My turn."

She excitedly reciprocated and explored the expanse of his back, standing on her toes to reach his massive shoulders. After she worked down his lower back she wrapped her arms around his torso and sprinkled his back with kisses, trying to ignore the taste of sunscreen. He turned in her embrace and caught her lips with his.

They put their shirts on and packed up some towels. Kristoff lead Anna through the trees on a small dirt path. They walked hand in hand in pleasant silence, Anna admiring the scenery with wonder and Kristoff admiring her excitement. After about a 10 minute walk the trees began to thin and the sound of waves grew clearer. Dirt slowly mingled with sand as they stepped out of the tree line and onto a secluded beach, the ocean stretching out before them.

"Wow!" Anna exclaimed, eyes growing wider by the minute. She'd never seen such a drastic change before, from woods to beach instantly. Both were so different but equally beautiful. She couldn't help but be mesmerized. "It's so beautiful, Kristoff."

He looked at her and hummed in content while wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

The beach was mostly deserted, save for a few people scattered about. They set their towels down and discarded their outer clothing and sprinted for the water. They spent the afternoon laughing and splashing in the waves. Occasionally Kristoff would pick Anna up and spin her around in the water before kissing her and getting caught off guard by an incoming wave.

As the sun descended in the sky, Anna and Kristoff spread out on their towels to dry out and watch the sun set, sharing sweet kisses. Before it got completely dark, the couple dusted off all the sand and put their clothes back on their dry bodies. They walked hand in hand back to the cabin.

***(incoming smut)***

After they cooked and ate dinner, Anna curled up on the couch in front of the fire Kristoff had built. He joined her on the couch, grabbing the blanket draped over the back. Anna gravitated towards him and he wrapped himself and the blanket around her. Anna hummed and Kristoff pulled her closer. He sighed and kissed the top of her head.

Anna moved her head up and locked eyes with Kristoff. They both smiled softly, content to just look at each other all night. Or so they thought, until Kristoff leaned down and initiated a soft kiss that Anna returned with great enthusiasm. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He made gentle noises of pleasure as Anna grew bolder. She broke the kiss and slid up and onto his lap. Kristoff looked like he might protest but she claimed his mouth before he could say anything, and plunged her tongue into his mouth for good measure. He moaned into her mouth and let her explore, moving his hands to rest on her hips. Anna threaded her fingers through his still-salty hair and ground her hips slowly into his. Kristoff pulled away breathing hard and Anna took the opportunity to sprinkle tiny kisses along his jaw. She moved up to his ear and nibbled lightly on his lobe, eliciting another gasp of air and a groan from Kristoff.

"Anna, if you don't slow down I won't be able to stop myself."

"Who said anything about stopping?" Anna huffed out and continued planting kisses along his neck.

"OK. I just. I want you to be sure. That's not why I brought you here. OH GOD." He threw his head back as she softly bit down into his skin.

"It's not?" She pulled back to look at him, placing her palms flat on his chest.

"No, Anna. I mean, if that's what you want then I will gladly continue. Because, _wow_." He squeezed her hips and she giggled in appreciation. "But that wasn't the purpose of this trip. So, I don't want you to feel pressured."

"I don't feel pressured. But I did think that this is what you wanted? That you wanted me?" Anna bit her lip.

"I do want you, Anna. Trust me. Just. _Wow_." He slid his hands up to her waist and she smiled again. "But, I also just wanted to get to know you some more. Because I like you. I really, _really_ like you."

"I really really like you too, Kristoff." Anna's heart felt like it was about to burst as she locked eyes with the gorgeous man in front of her. He smiled warmly up at her and the fluttering in her stomach intensified. She slid her hands back up to his neck and leaned back into him. She kissed a trail from his neck to his ear and whispered, "I want you even more now."

Kristoff's eyes rolled back and he breathed heavily. He clutched Anna to his chest and hoisted her and himself off the couch. Anna wasn't prepared for the sudden movement and squealed. Kristoff adjusted his grip and Anna wrapped her legs around him.

"Where are we going?" She asked as Kristoff carried her to the kitchen area where he grabbed a pitcher full of water sitting on the island. He balanced Anna with one arm and walked her and the pitcher back to the fire where he poured the water onto the burning logs, putting the fire out.

"We are going to bed," he said. "I don't want our first time to be on a couch."

"What's wrong with the couch?" Anna laughed as he walked toward the bedroom door.

"Nothing wrong, exactly. But I'd rather spread out and take me time with you." The tone of his voice had changed completely and Anna felt herself involuntarily shudder as she let out a small 'oh' of approval.

Anna was still wrapped around his front, so Kristoff gently climbed onto the bed and pressed her into the mattress with his body. She unwound her limbs from him and stretched out, giving him full access to her. He kissed her hard and moved his hands to dip under her tank top. His hands were rough and calloused against her skin. She arched her back to press herself against his hands as he moved them up her body. He cupped her breast over her bathing suit top and she threw her head back and let out a breathy moan. Kristoff latched onto her neck and bit down softly, sucking gently at the tender skin. She squirmed and hummed in satisfaction before pushing him away to sit up. She tore her shirt off and flung it on the floor and Kristoff pushed his hands under her bathing suit top and she pulled the fabric over her head and discarded it along side her shirt.

Anna shoved her hands under Kristoff's shirt and he leaned back to pull it over his head. She ran her hands all over his chest before he lunged forward and took her nipple in his mouth. Anna cried out and fell back onto the mattress, Kristoff following her and suckling gently. Anna moaned softly as Kristoff flicked his tongue back and forth over her nipple before peppering kisses down her stomach to the top of her shorts. He popped the button open and the zipper down while Anna lifted her hips off of the bed. Kristoff grabbed her suit bottoms along with her shorts and pulled both off at the same time.

"What do you like, Anna?" Kristoff breathed as he kissed her inner thigh.

"Oh, um. I don't know..." she trailed off as Kristoff raised his head to meet her eyes.

"You've never done this?" He breathed over her heat and she shivered and shook her head.

"My ex never...paid this much attention to me. We sort of always skipped this part" She panted as Kristoff continued kissing up and down her thighs. Kristoff clenched his jaw and exhaled sharply. Anna had mentioned her ex a few times now and every time Kristoff told her he sounded like a jackass. She wholeheartedly agreed.

"You'll just have to tell me what you like now, then." He breathed and kissed her folds before plunging his tongue inside.

She cried out and bucked her hips as he devoured her, making satisfied moans along the way. She'd never felt so beautiful and wanted before. When he hummed into her she gasped and threaded her fingers in his hair and whispered:

"More."

When he moved his focus to her clit and gently flicked his tongue over the nub, it was too much and she told him so. He backed off and lay the whole of his tongue against it instead before wrapping his mouth around and sucking gently.

"Yes, right there."

Anna panted and squirmed and grabbed the blanket beneath her as her toes curled up around Kristoff's shoulders. Kristoff pulled back and kissed up her stomach allowing Anna to catch her breath. Kristoff wiped his chin which was drenched in her sex before kissing her lips. He rolled over to her side and propped his head up on his hand as he watched her breath slow.

"Good?" he asked.

"Holy shit." she replied and they both chuckled.

They took some down time before continuing, in which Anna practically ripped Kristoff's swim trunks off and pinned him to the bed. She marveled at his size before hovering herself over his erect penis and gently prodding herself with it. He brought his fingers to her folds to find that she was still wet before grabbing his member and holding it still as she inched down. Kristoff squeezed his eyes shut and moaned as she lowered herself completely onto him, filling her up completely. She threw her head back and moaned as well before slowly bouncing up and down on top of him. His hands flew to her waist and she rested her palms on his chest for balance. He grabbed her hips hard and began to thrust up into her as her noises became louder and more desperate. She matched his rhythm dug her fingers into his chest as he groaned louder.

"Anna," he breathed. "I need to pull out, I'm gonna.."

"No, I want you inside." She increased her speed on top of him.

"We don't have a condom." He spat out, face scrunched up.

"I'm on the pill." She ground down on him and he opened his eyes, searching hers. "Please," she begged him and he grabbed her and pulled her body down onto his and kissed her as he thrust into her harder and faster. He let out a guttural moan as he spilled into her and she felt the warmth spread. She panted on top of him and kissed him until his hips stilled and she rolled off. He grunted in response and wrapped himself around her.

"You're amazing." he said, kissing her shoulder.

"You're not so bad yourself." She grinned and kissed his nose before cradling his head in her hands and stroking his face.

"Did you come?" Kristoff asked, kissing her shoulder.

"No, but that was still. _Wow_." She let out a soft laugh.

"Well we can keep going." He kissed her neck and moved his hand down to her center and made to push two of his fingers inside.

"No, I'm good for now." She grabbed his wrist and he held still, bringing his face close to hers. "I promise." She smiled and kissed him slow and long.

"OK." he conceded. "I just want you to be satisfied." He caressed her face and moved a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I've never actually come during sex." She whispered to him and he got that sad look in his eye that happened when she talked about her past. She touched his face and gently kissed him again, willing him back into the moment.

"Let's see if we can change that by the end of this trip." He gave her a devilish grin and she giggled and nodded her head.

They didn't leave the cabin for the remainder of the trip and they lost themselves as often as they could. Their lovemaking came in waves, peaking with moans and climaxes and coming down with soft kisses and arms wrapped around each other. They moved around the house to go about their day before succumbing to their urges once again and taking each other wherever they happened to be. Kristoff made Anna come twice in the kitchen, once in his arms as he held her against the wall and pumped into her, and again when he spread her out on the island counter and pumped his fingers in and out of her as he kissed every bit of skin he could reach. She came in front of the fireplace on the floor and again straddling him on the couch. They came together in the shower as he pressed her against the wall and took her from behind, hands caressing the front of her body and lips pressed to her shoulder and her neck. They ventured onto the porch and spread out a blanket, Kristoff holding Anna close to him and rocking into her, whispering affirmations in her ear as waves of pleasure overtook her. As Anna came down she was greeted with the sounds of the ocean, ebbing and flowing along with her.

Kristoff grabbed her and the blanket and walked over to the porch swing to settle down. They wrapped up and held each other close, cheeks rosy from exertion.

"I think I'm falling in love with you, Anna." He placed his lips in her hair before she smiled up at him.

"I'm already there."


End file.
